Sunday, November 25, 2007

The line from the step 3 prayer states: "Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Your will."

Relieve means to "to ease or alleviate". I was a slave to my own addictions, fears, and self seeking. I pray to my Higher Power to ease or alleviate this slavery to self. There is only one reason I would do this according to the big book in that I may better do the will of my Higher Power.

If I think about it, that's the only way the prayer works. If I pray to be relieved from the slavery so I can continue to do my will, I'll never have it answered. I would always be a slave to my self. My life would continue to be about me. If I prayer to be relieved from the bondage of self and then take responsibility by trying to do Gods will, I would be going in the right direction and God would help me.

I don't have to do it perfect. I don't have to understand God's will perfectly. The line says "that I may better do Your will". Do it better means just that, improvement, growth, change. It doesn't mean perfection.

So if I understand the line correctly, I pray to be relieved from the bondage of self that I would try to do what God would have me do. I won't get it perfectly right but I will grow in the trying. By not allowing my life to be clouded with fear, I can grow and change and improvedly do Gods will as I continue to work the steps.

My first spiritual contact was when tradidy struck .It forced me to find a power grater than my self .the drugs and the 9th step promises,both free me from self.If I go to a meeting and get out of fear and say hi to people I don,t know I feal that ever loving knowing spirit and can,t get enuogh its bean bereid inside of me it is in everyone

3rd Step Prayer

"God, I offer myself to Thee-to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life. May I do Thy will always!"